Crimping apparatus



Feb. 13, 1951 D. D. HUYETT 2,541,361

CRIMPING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 14, 1946 Q 3 Sheets-Sheet l Daniel D. Huy

INVENTOR.

Feb. 13, 1951 D. D. HUYETT CRIMPING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 14, 1946 Daniel D. HuyeH, INVENTOR.

Crimping Edge Shell Before Crimping Shell Before C rimping Shell Afler Crim'ping Feb. 13, 1951 Filed Sept.

D. D. HUYETT CRIMPING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 BY ZW Patented Feb. 13, I951 2,541,361

'ORIlWPING APPARATUS Daniel .D. Huyett, Wilmington, per, assignor .to Atlas Powder Company, Wilmington, Dial, a

corporation of Delaware Application September 14, 1*946,:Serial;No-.L69?Z;142

12 Claims. 1

This application relates -to methods and apparatuses for crimping shells.

An object of the invention is the provison of methods and apparatuses for crimping shells without undue weakeningof the shell surfaces.

Another object of the invention is the provision of methods and apparatuses for crimping shells evenly and uniformly.

A further object of the invention is the provision of methods and apparatuses for crimpinga number of shells at a'time.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description.

Crimping is an important operation in many manufacturing processes, such .as in the manu facture of ammunition and in the sealing of metal explosion initiators such as blasting caps and squibs.

Crimping methods have included squeezing shells between dies, Spinning shell metal, and swaging operations. Most of these crimping techniques, however, have'been slow and cumbersome in operation and have .produced uneven crimps or have resulted in serious weakeningof crimps through undue thinning of .shell'walls.

A further disadvantage of most methods and apparatuses forcrimping shells is that they are not adaptable to crimping a'plurality of shells which-are held closely together.

According to the present invention, methods and apparatuses are provided by means of which shells may be crimped'rapidly and uniformly without excessive weakening or thinning of the shell walls, and the present methods and apparatuses are particularly well adapted to the simultaneous crimping" of large-numbers of closely spaced shells.

The present invention is accomplished by translating a concave crimping edgerelative to a shell and against a shell-in a path generally similar to the crimping edge.

The invention will be further described in connection with the drawings whichshow apparatuses for crimping shells of electric explosion initiators and in which:

Figure 1 is a side view partly in section of a specific embodiment of an'apparatus for performing the invention,

Figure 2 is a top viewgpartly in'section' of the apparatus shown Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a partial end view partly in section of the apparatus of Figure 1.

Figure 4 isan enlarged detail of a'crimping edge of'the apparatus shown in Figure 1.

Figure 11 is an enlarged sectional view of a modified mounting for a crimping edge.

Referring to Figuresl, 2, and 30f the drawings which show apparatus for crimping two blasting caps, theapparatus is made up first of a cast support member 20 which may be attached in any convenient manner (not shown) to a wall or a.

table. Support member Zillis provided with two wells :22 and 24 dimensioned to receive blasting caps 26.,and .28. Journaled in-s'upport member 2c are rotatable shafts 30 and .32. In the operation of theapparatus shaft .32 is .driven by crank 34 and .has keyed to it gear 3.6. Gear 36 drives idling gear .38 which rotates freely .on shaft 40 screwed into support 20. Idling gear 38 in turn drivesgear 4| of thesamesizeasgear 36, which i ,carriedby and drives shaft 39. Shafts 39 and .32 are enlarged and hollowed out at their top portions toform yokesj42 and 44. Each of yokes 42 and 44 support similar parts which are shown in section,. feor yoke 42, in Figures 2 and 3. Because of the similarity of parts, the further description of these portions of the apparatus will, for convenience, be made only in connection with yoke 42. Through yoke 42 is journaled rotatable shaft 46. Shaft 49 is threaded on its portions inside yoke 42 and on one end is keyed to sprocket wheel @48. Sprocket wheel 48 bears on its face eightpins 50. Afiixed to support 20 is finger 52 in position to engage the lowermost of pins 50. Inside yoke 42 and in threaded engagement with shaft 46 is block 54. 'Block 56 in sliding engagement with the top of yoke 42 is integral with b1ock'54and also withshaft"58 extendingfrom its upper portion. Shaft-58 and its corresponding member 60 on the opposite side of the apparatus are journaled in plate or jig 62. Washers 63 and 64 and nuts and 66 form'hubs over plate 62 on shafts 58 and 60. 'Plate 62 is provided with two circular crimping edges 61 and 6.8 around caps 2B and 28,'respectively. Over plate 62 is positioned cover plate 69- which is secured to support 20 by'screwsrl'fl. It is'to .be noted that Support 20 3 is recessed to provide space for crimping plate 62. Cover plate 69 is provided with holes H and f2 permitting passage of blasting cap 26 and 23.

In the position in which the apparatus is shown in the drawings, block 54 is off to the side of yoke 42 next to sprocket 48, and shaft 58 rotates on the same center as shaft 36. It may be seen, however, that if shaft 46 is rotated to the left, block 54, as shown in Figure 3, will mov to the right (or up in Figure 2) and will carry with it shaft 58 so that then as shaft 36, turns shaft 58 becomes a crank pin describing a circle around the center line of shaft 30. If both shaft 58 and shaft 60 have been moved the same amount, plate 52 on rotation of shafts 32 and 30 will be translated in circular motion.

Sprocket wheel 48 and its counterpart on the opposite side of the apparatus provide means for uniformly changing the positions of shafts 58 and 65. As with the description of the parts connected with shafts 58 and 68, the operation will only be described in connection with sprocket 48 turning with shaft 30, though it will be understood that the operation of the parts turning with shaft 32 is similar. As shaft 30 is turned, sprocket wheel 48 turns around the center line of shaft 35. With this action the lowermost of pins 53 pushes against stationary finger 52 so that the sprocket 48 is rotated until the pin in contact with finger 52 clears the top of finger 52 thereby bringing the adjacent pin 56 into lowermost position. After sprocket 48 has been thus partially rotated, it continues to be carried round by shaft 36 until it again reaches a forward position and the now lowermost pin is in position to be pushed by finger 52, rotating sprocket 48 a further increment. Thus each time shaft 30 turns, sprocket 48 makes a partial rotation and block 54 threaded to shaft 46 moves a distance along shaft 46. Since shaft 58 is integral with block 54, the center line of shaft 58 moves a distance way from the center line of shaft 30 as block 54 moves along shaft 46. Thus the center line of shaft 53, from a position such that it coincides with the center lin of shaft 3|], is moved a distance away from the center line of shaft 30, then makes approximately one revolution around that center line, is moved another increment away from the center of shaft 33, makes approximately another revolution around that center line, and this action is repeated. Expressed in another way, shafts 5B and 66 may be considered as crank pins, the crank arms of which vary by increments once each revolution, and consequently plate 62 is translated in ever wider circles. The effect of this translation is gradually to force crimping circles 61 and 68 first against and then into and around shells 26 and 28, respectively, thus performing the crimping operation. In Figure 4 is shown the manner in which crimping edge 67 impinges upon cap 26 to produce a crimp. When the crimp has been finished, the operation of the apparatus is reversed until the center lines of shafts 58 and 60 again coincide with the center lines of shafts 30 and 32 and the crimped shells are withdrawn.

In Figure '7 is shown diagrammatically the path of translation of the crimping plate and crimping edge. At the left of the figure is shown the shape of the path taken by each of shafts 58 and 66 and also by each point in the plate 62. At the right hand side of the figure is shown how one point on the crimping edge pushes into the shell on each circuit of the crimping plate 4 until th crimp has been completed. Every point on the crimping edge takes a similar path and does its work in deforming the shell. It is to be noted that there is very little sliding action of the crimping edge on the shell. Most of the crimping action takes place by direct pushing of the crimping edge into the shell. As a result of this pushing action, there is very little thinning of the metal of the shell and resultant weakening of the shell walls at point of crimping. It will also be noted that the shell is pushed in an equal amount from all sides and that an even crimp is produced.

The crimping apparatus just described forms the crimp by a step-wise action in that the crimping edge moves in and then is translated in rotary motion around the shell, the crimping edge again moves in and is again translated in rotary motion and so on.

In Figures 5 and 6 is shown a modified apparatus in which the inward motion of the crimping edge is continuous as the crimp is formed. In Figures 5 and 6 parts similar to those shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 are given similar numbers. Support members 20 in addition to having shafts 30 and 32 journaled in it also contains journaled therein shafts 14 and i6. Shafts l4 and '16 have on their lower ends same size gears 18 and 88, respectively, which mesh with gears 4| and 36. On their upper ends shafts l4 and T6 are provided with same size gears 82 and 84 which are slightly smaller than gears 18 and 80. Idling on shaft 30 is compound gear 86 which is provided with spur gear portion 88 and bevelled gear portion 90. Gear 82 meshes with and drives spur gear portion 88. Bevelled gear portion 90 drives bevelled gear 92 which is the same size as gear portion 90 and is keyed to shaft 46. On the opposite side of the apparatus spur gear 84 drives the counterpart of shaft 46 through a similar train of gears. The remaining parts of the apparatus are quite the same as those of Figures 1, 2, and 3. Since gear 82 is slightly smaller than gear 18, as crank 34 is turned and shaft 30 is driven through gears 36, 38, and 4|, gear 86 idling on shaft 30 turns at a slightly slower rate than does shaft 30. Therefore, gear 92 which is driven by gear 86 makes a partial rotation each time it is carried around shaft 35. Thus, as handle 34 is turned and the machine is operated, shafts 58 and 60 make a spiral motion proceeding outwardly from the center points of shafts 30 and 32, respectively. Plate 62 is translated in the same manner and each point on it makes the same spiral motion, as is diagrammatically shown in Figure 8.

Since each point on plate 62 moves in a spiral, each point on the crimping edge moves in a spiral and each point on the crimping edge is gradually pushed into the shell to form the crimp.

After the crimp has been made, crank 34 is rotated in an opposite direction until the shell may be freed and withdrawn from the apparatus.

The motion produced by the apparatuses described may be explained in another way. While the shell is in a fixed position, the circular crimping edge which might be called a die is placed against the shell. It is then uniformly moved or translated in a generally circular movement of increasing diameter, the initial diameter being the difference between the diameter of the crimping edge and the diameter of the shell, and

the final diameter being that :difierence plus twice the depth of the crimp, though this depth of -crimp is somewhat lessened .by any movement of the shell in its holding means and any springing of the shell away from the crimping edge. An entirely-satisfactory crimp is obtained when a 0.276 inch diameter shell is placed in a 0.283 diameter support and crimped with a 0.290 inch diameter crimping edge when the crimping-edge .moves in circles the largest of which has a diameterzofv 0.140 inch.

As .is shown in Figures v1, 4, and the crimp- .ing edge is constructed to provide two crimps .in .the shell. It maybe readily seen that the edge may be constructed to form .a single crimp or to form any multiplicity oflcrimps. Figure 9 shows a shell 26 being .crimped around a plug 94 containing leg wires 96 and 98 passing through itcin conventional manner. The crimping edge in crimper plate 62 is constructed to provide two crimps and also to turn over the top of shellZB.

In place of a single crimping plate, a multiplicity of crimping plates may be driven in the manner described. This is shown in Figure whereinplates IEO, I02, and I04 are all driven to act'on the cap while plates I06 and I08 re-' main stationary. Plates I00, I02, and I04 may, of course, be driven by shafts common to all of them. In the modifications shown in Figure 9 and Figure 10, there is no top plate on which the cap bearssuch as is shown in Figure 4.

While the crimping operations just described function primarily due to a pushing action on the shell rather than a sliding action, there is a small amount of sliding brought about by virtue of the difference in diameters between the crimping edge and the shell being crimped. In each circuit each point on the crimping edge must act against the cap shell. Hence in one circuit of the edge about the shell the longer crimping edge must slide a bit on the shorter shell circumference. This small slippage may be minimized by mounting the crimping edge in the crimping plate so that it is free to turn. Thus as shown in Figure 11 crimping edge 61 is mounted in plate 62 by conventional circular ball bearing made up ofballs III] and retainer ring H2. With the crimping edge rotatably mounted, the tendency of the edge to slip on the shell being crimped is resisted and the ring insteacl tends to roll on the shell. Thus each circuit around the shell somewhat less than the entire circumference of the crimping edge contacts the shell.

While the methods and apparatuses have been described in connection with circular crimps on circular shells, it may be seen that shells and crimps of other peripheral shapes such as oval shapes, for example, may be employed providing that the crimping edge has a concave contour along its length, and that the crimping plate is moved in a path, generally similar to the shape of the crimp desired.

Also while the method and apparatuses have been described for a stationary shell and a moving crimping plate, it will be understood, of course, that itis only important that the proper relativity of motion be maintained between the shell and the crimping plate. Thus the crimping plate may be held stationary and the shell may be moved if desired.

One principal advantage of the present invention is its applicability to the crimping of a number of shells at a, time. While the specific apparatuses described above show the crimping of two shells at one time, it is readily seen that since each point on the crimping plate moves through a similar path, numerous crimping edges may be included in the crimping plate and on very close centers.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for crimping shells comprising means for holding a shell, a crimping edge having a concave contour along its length, a member containing said edge, two driving elements mounted in said member, means for moving said elements so as to bear said edge against said shell, and means for moving said elements in separate congruent paths generally similar to said edge whereby said member is translated in a path generally similar to said edge.

2. Apparatus for crimping shells comprising a means for holding as'hell, a crimping edge having a concave contour along its length similar to the circumference of thecrimp desired in said shell, a member containing said edge, two driving elements mounted in said member, means for mov ing said elements so as to bear said edge against said-shelLand means for moving said elements inseparate congruent path generally similar to said edge whereby said member is translated in a path-generally similar to said-edge.

-3. Apparatus for crimping circular shells comprising means for holding a shell, a circular crimping edge having a concave contour along its length, a member containing said edge, two driving elements mounted in said member, means for moving said elements so as to bear said edge against said shell and means for moving said elements in separate congruent rotary paths.

4. Apparatus for crimping circular shells comprising means for holding a shell, a circular crimping edge having a concave contour along its length, a member containing said crimping edge, two driving elements mounted in said member, means for moving said elements so as to bear said edge against said shell, and means for simultaneously moving said elements in separate congruent rotary paths of increasing radius.

5. Apparatus for crimping circular shells which comprises means for holding a shell, a circular crimping edge having a concave contour along its length, a member containing said crimping edge, two driving elements mounted in said member, means for moving said elements so as to bear said edge against said shell, and means for simultaneously moving said elements in separate congruent circular paths of variable radius.

6. Apparatus for crimping shells comprising means for holding a shell, a circular crimping edge having a concave contour along its length, a member containing said edge, two driving elements mounted in said member, means for moving said elements so as to bear said edge against said shell, and means for simultaneously moving said pins in separate congruent spiral paths of increasing radius.

7. Apparatus for crimping circular shells comprising means for holding a plurality of shells means for holding a plurality of shells in spaced relation, a plate containing a plurality of spaced circular crimping edges positioned to encircle said shells, two cranks the pins of which are rotatably mounted in said plate, means for rotating the shafts of said cranks and means for varying the lengths of the arms of said cranks whereby said plate is translated through a rotary path and said edges crimp said shells.

9. Apparatus for crimping shells comprising means for holding in spaced relation a plurality of shells of similar cross section, a member containing a plurality of crimping edges having concave contours along their lengths and spaced to enclose said shells individually, means for simultaneously pressing said edges against said shells and translating said member, without angular change in the position of said member, relative to said shells in paths generally similar to said edges.

10. Apparatus for crimping shells comprising means for holding in spaced relation a plurality of shells of similar cross section, a member containing a plurality of crimping edges concave along their lengths similar to the circumference of the crimps desired in said shells, said edges being spaced to enclose said shells individually, means for simultaneously pressing said edges against said shells and translating said member, without angular change in the position of said member, relative to said shells in paths generally similar to said edges.

11. Apparatus for crimping shells comprising means for holding in spaced relation a plurality of shells of circular cross section, a member containing a plurality of circular crimping edges said edges being spaced to enclose said shells individually, means for simultaneously pressing said edges against said shells and translating said member, without angular change in the position of said member, in circular paths of difierent radius.

12. Apparatus for crimping shells comprising means for holding a plurality of circular shells, a member containing a plurality of circular crimping edges positioned to encircle said shells individually, means'for simultaneously pressing said edges against said shells and translating said member, without angular change in the position of said member, in a spiral path of increasing radius.

DANIEL D. HUYETT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS- Number Name Date 220,111 Baker Sept. 30, 1879 1,738,161 Walker Dec. 3, 1929 1,740,792 Strachauer Dec. 24, 1929 1,952,239 Dreyer Mar. 27, 1934 2,125,269 Buff' Aug, 2, 1938 2,171,371 Nydegger Aug. 29, 1939 

